Prologue: Goodbye
Dear Sky Stinger
I’m sorry, I’m really, really sorry. I have been a terrible friend and you have every right to be angry with me. I lied to you and gave you a false sense of achievement. Something like that can never be forgiven. All those years, all the time tried helping you in your performances, I have selfishly thought that I was doing the best for you, without even consulting you. So once more, I say I am sorry.
But please, please, do not think that I did it to make you look like a fool. I know you might feel and think that, but I just want to say that making you a fool was not my goal. In fact, I was trying to do the complete opposite. By helping you, I thought that I was making you a star, a star like you always wanted to be, But instead, I made you become independent and clueless to the aid I was giving you.
Many times, I have thought of telling you, many times I have come close to breaking my secret… But every time I was stopped, stopped because of my fear that it would break our friendship. Well, now the secret is out and my fear came true.
Sky, I would just like you to know that I’m not angry with you, I never was nor never will be. This was not your fault, but mine. And now, having done so much wrong to you, I say goodbye.
Love, you former friend, Vapor Trail
Tears rolled down Vapor Trail’s cheeks as she finished the letter and folded it into the envelope. This was all her fault and she knew it. If she could have just told him earlier, before things got out of hoof, then things wouldn’t be as bad as they were now.
Cursing herself, she felt anger and frustration swell within her, knowing that she could have prevented this from happening. Many times before, she could have told him her secret, she could have told him that she was helping him fly all the time. But instead, she held her silence and led him to falsely believe that he was a good flyer.
She couldn’t do it and although it was the right thing to do, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him that he wasn’t as skillful as he thought he was. She loved him too much to break his heart like that.
“I’m such a stupid pony…” Vapor Trail’s voice trailed, as she looked down on the floor beneath her. “…I should have told him, then maybe, then maybe things would have been different.”
All those years helping him, all those years giving him boost in his flight, she did all so that he would be happy, so that he could enjoy the air, and so that they can both have fun. But now it seemed that her tricks were causing pain for the both of them.
She wondered what would have had happened if she had told him before, told him while they were younger that it was her who was helping him fly. Would he be as angry as he was now? If she had told him earlier, before the pressure of the Wonderbolts Academy qualification test overtook them, then would he break up their friendship like he did now?
The thought of seeing his angered face, his frustrated voice, all of those hurt her. The memory devastated Vapor Trail more than she could have possibly imagined and she wished that she could just forget it all. But she couldn’t, for the guilt was still strong and it kept gnawing at her. It broke her heart seeing him angry at her like that, and she felt her world shatter when he had trotted away from her.
They had been together since they were young, the best of friends who never left each other’s sight. She cared for him, while he cared for her. Normally, she hated the attention given to her by other ponies, as she found it annoying and unnecessary. But when it came to Sky Stinger, every moment his attention was on her was a moment of happiness. She loved that attention she gave her and she loved being with him. Their relationship was something the she cherished and loved more than anything else, and now it was gone.
She didn’t want him to leave her; she wanted to be with him always. But now he left, and she couldn’t blame him for doing it.
The thought of being apart from him was breaking her heart, and part of her wished that this was just all a bad dream. But it was real, a real nightmare that came to life. She wanted to change things, to make things right. But it seemed impossible at this point. How can one change what has happened, especially after the harsh words have been exchanged? Sky Stinger hated her, she knew it and she knew that nothing can change his mind now.
I should have stopped and told him before… She thought to herself. Now he’s gone from my life…
She wanted him to love her, not hate her. She wanted him to see that she was only doing it to make him happy, so that they could both enjoy flying. Sky Stinger was always lonely when he felt out of place and ignored and she hated seeing him sad. So she did it to help him and be somepony he always envisioned him to be, to be what his dreams wanted him to be. She was only trying to make him live the dream he wanted, even if it risked keeping a secret.
But no matter how many explanations she had in her head, she knew that she’ll never be able to tell any of them to him. She had betrayed his trust and now she doubted it if he would ever listen to her again.
Feeling lonely and depressed by all that has happened, she looked back at the letter she held and gave it a sad look. This was the last things she would leave him with, a simple thing that would hopefully apologize for her mistake. She prayed that he would never forget her, no matter how much anger he felt towards her.
Please, just please don’t forget me, because I will never forget you, never…
Moving through the locker room and spotting Sky Stinger’s locker, she exchanged glances with it and the letter she had. Wiping away the tears on her cheeks, she wondered if he would even read the letter, or understand what she was telling him.
But there was no telling what he would do, it was up to faith to decide.
Lifting the letter towards her muzzle, she gave it a small kiss, a gesture that had more meaning to her, before shooting it through the slit of Sky Stinger’s locker. Then, trying to hold back anymore tears, she walked away and out of the locker rooms.
Making her way out of the building, she saw that many of the pegasi were still training for their next examination. Looking out towards then, she shook her head before turning her gaze somewhere else. She didn’t want to continue the qualification exams; she didn’t want to go on.
The only reason she joined was so that she can help Sky Stinger and be with him here. But now, now that their relationship was broken, there was no point being here. She didn’t want to be a Wonderbolt, not if it reminded her of her broken relationship with Sky Stinger.
It would hurt too much to stay here. She thought, feeling her heart ache already.
So without any second thought, she opened her wings and flew away, away from the Wonderbolts Academy and away from the one she had loved. She wasn’t sure where she was going now and she didn’t care.
If Sky Stinger hates me, then I’ll stay out of his way.
